LAWRENCE, Kan. – The UMass Lowell women's basketball team (0-4) headed west to face off against Big 12 member Kansas (4-0), but a late second half finish wasn't enough for the River Hawks as they fell to the Jayhawks 79-44 on Sunday afternoon at the Allen Fieldhouse.
 
"It was a lesson," stated head coach Tom Garrick. "We're a young inexperienced team and we got taught a lesson today on how to play hard, stay under control, be disciplined and stick to a game plan. Hopefully it's a learning experience and a growth opportunity for our younger players."
 
Senior guard Ren'Cia Rolling (Lansing, Ill.) led the visitors with 13 points, and junior forward Chasidey Willis (Detroit, Mich.) grabbed seven rebounds. Kansas's Mariane De Carvalho and Aniya Thomas led all scorers with 15 points apiece and Tina Stephens chipped in 14.
 
With missed shots by both teams in the first minute of the contest, freshman Shamyjha Price (Pittsburgh, Pa.) ended the stalemate on a fast break to get the first bucket of the game.
 
After another scoring drought lasting through most of the first quarter, Rolling and Willis each capitalized on Jayhawk turnovers to give the River Hawks their only lead of the half at 8-7. But Kansas was able to jump out on a 12-0 run to finish the first quarter in a score of 21-8.
 
The last five minutes of the second quarter saw the River Hawks open up with free throws from Rolling and a layup from Willis to cut the deficit 27-17, but the hosts held a 37-22 lead at the half.
 
Rolling and junior forward Tiahna Sears (Bunbury, Australia) each went 4-4 on the line in the second half, with sophomore guard Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) making three of her five.
 
Up next, the River Hawks will welcome Yale on Thursday night for the third matchup in program history, before heading off to Providence College for a Sunday afternoon contest at Alumni Hall.
 
"It's not about what they do so much, but as to how we handle ourselves and how we can counteract their plan," commented Garrick. "We're just going to try and get better and more disciplined on a daily basis, practice-to-practice not just game-to-game, and at some point, we'll see a change and elevation in our preparation."